Women in India remain largely concentrated in the informal sector, where employment opportunities are often low-paying and characterised by poor working standards. As India aspires to achieve its vision of Viksit Bharat, manufacturing will be one of its key drivers. Crucially, women are recognised as one of the fundamental pillars of this ambitious journey. However, there is a glaring gap: women are conspicuously missing from factory floors. The share of women employed in India’s formal manufacturing sector has declined significantly, from 8.34 million in 2015 to 6.77 million in 2023. What is even more striking is that Tamil Nadu alone accounts for 41% of all women employed in manufacturing in India. This underscores the critical need for targeted interventions across the country.
Encouraging women to complete higher education is an important strategy to improve their employability in manufacturing and other sectors. Simultaneously, it is vital to create safe and supportive work environments to enhance women’s workforce participation. A noteworthy model is Tamil Nadu’s “Thozhi” Scheme, which focuses on establishing working women’s hostels—a commendable step towards creating secure spaces for women. Each state must adopt similar, specific interventions tailored to address its unique challenges. In this context, MMA is organizing an online event on “Creating Safe Spaces: Empowered Stronger Communities” at 06.00 pm on 6th May 2025. We are privileged to have Ms. Letika Saran, IPS (Retd.), Former Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, and Ms. L. Maithili, Advocate & Trustee, Shakti Public Charitable Trust, who will share their valuable insights on this extremely relevant and thought-provoking theme for women employees.
Women’s participation in the workforce is not just a matter of fairness—it is a vital driver of economic growth and societal progress. A nation’s true strength lies in ensuring that every woman has the opportunity to contribute, lead, and thrive.
I am delighted to present in this issue five outstanding articles—each focused on women empowerment, inspiring leadership, and driving meaningful change. I invite you to read on and get inspired.
Responding to the Terror Attack in Pahalgam
The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, is far more than an isolated act of brutality. It is a calculated political signal, meticulously timed and executed to inflict not only human casualties but also to create strategic disruption. Just when Pakistan had begun to fade from India’s immediate diplomatic radar and foreign policy imagination, it has resurfaced, posing a renewed threat to our stability and progress.
There are no easy solutions. However, it is imperative that clarity precede action. Historically, the only language that has constrained Pakistan’s adventurism is the language of credible consequences. In a bold and unprecedented move, New Delhi has suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, signalling a strong diplomatic response. This decision lifts previous restrictions on dam design and reservoir operations in Jammu & Kashmir, giving India critical leverage over water flows, particularly during Pakistan’s crucial sowing season—a pressure point for its agrarian economy.
The Union Government must work closely and cohesively with the Jammu & Kashmir administration to isolate radical and violent elements, ensuring the livelihoods of Kashmiris are protected and the safety of tourists visiting the serene valley is maintained. Going forward, India must focus on delivering a palpable and long-term deterrent—and one of the most effective means is through an economic squeeze that impacts Pakistan’s strategic calculations and restrains its disruptive behaviour. In this critical context, MMA recently organised a thought-provoking lecture in association with Colours of Glory on “India as a Global Player: The Challenges in a Multipolar World” by Lt Gen P R Shankar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Veteran). I urge you to watch this inspiring and incisive lecture, which sheds light on India’s evolving role and strategic choices in a complex multipolar world.
Delimitation Dilemmas: A Challenge to Indian Democracy
Demographic shifts across India are creating a profound representational imbalance in the Lok Sabha, introducing a structural bias that threatens the very spirit of inclusive democracy. At the same time, the emergence of overlarge constituencies amplifies majoritarianism, effectively diminishing the voices of marginalized and minority groups.
The political ramifications of addressing these distortions could be momentous, potentially altering India’s political landscape so significantly that delimitation has become yet another third rail of Indian politics—too dangerous for parties to touch without risking upheaval. Consequently, while the need for reform is pressing, it is difficult to imagine this idea gaining the traction it urgently deserves.
As a result, the persistent challenge of overlarge constituencies and the growing inequity in democratic representation will continue to remain a serious shortcoming in the world’s largest democracy. Without addressing this fundamental issue, the ideal of a truly representative and equitable political system will remain frustratingly out of reach.
It is crucial that public discourse and thoughtful debate on delimitation, despite its challenges, be encouraged, if Indian democracy is to fulfil its promise of being genuinely representative of every citizen’s voice.
Elite Varsities: Doors Open for a Fat Price!
In recent years, a tiny group of boutique companies has carved out a niche, helping affluent Indian students secure admission to top foreign institutions. These firms have emerged to capitalize on the intense competition for places at the world’s most prestigious universities. Their mentors work closely with students—often over several years—meticulously shaping their profiles to meet the expectations of elite admission committees at institutions like Harvard and Yale.
However, even after all the money spent and years of careful preparation, success is far from assured. In today’s increasingly stringent environment, students who have gained admission to US universities face a new hurdle: immigration scrutiny. Officers from the federal government carefully pore over students’ applications, and even a minor mistake—an undotted ‘i’ or an uncrossed ‘t’—could result in visas being denied and students being sent back to India before they even set foot on campus.
This reality points to a broader, urgent need: India must create world-class educational institutions that can nurture, retain, and empower our talented youth. Instead of funnelling ambition and resources overseas, we should build centers of excellence here, making India a preferred destination for higher learning and innovation.
The time has come to tap into the immense pool of talent and resources available within the country and transform India’s educational landscape — offering our brightest students a future they can pursue without ever needing to leave home.
The AI Wave: Impact on the IT Industry
The rise of artificial intelligence, combined with the ongoing challenges posed by the global tariff wars, has disrupted the dyed-in-the-wool business model of the IT industry. What was once a tried and tested structure is now undergoing fundamental change. Today, many enterprises are actively renegotiating contracts with IT service providers, aiming to capitalize on the cost efficiencies brought about by AI technologies. While the falling cost of AI models presents an opportunity for IT firms to innovate and optimize, it also brings new pressures: Enterprises are increasingly demanding price reductions, additional value, and greater service outcomes—all while expecting IT firms to maintain healthy margins.
This emerging landscape demands a proactive mindset. IT companies must move beyond traditional frameworks, embracing AI as a core strategy to stay competitive and relevant.
The AI wave is here, and it is reshaping the future of the industry. It’s time to understand its full impact, adapt boldly, and ride the wave with confidence.
India’s Creative Economy: Building the Future
Throughout history, a few nations have stood out for their unique traditions of creativity and innovation, leaving an indelible mark on the world. India, despite its rich cultural and intellectual legacy, has a long journey ahead to fully realize its potential in the creative and innovation space.
As India strives to become a $5 trillion economy, it must rethink and revitalize its approach to innovation, making creativity an integral part of development at every level — from grassroots initiatives to cutting-edge, technology-driven enterprises. What India needs today is an ecosystem that fosters and balances creativity, innovation, and invention, ensuring that our ambitions for a dynamic creative economy are not just aspirations but achievements.
Recognizing this crucial need, MMA, with the support of CavinKare, continues to celebrate and encourage outstanding innovators across the country through the CavinKare–MMA Chinnikrishnan Innovation Awards. This initiative not only propels innovation but also ensures that new ideas are recognized at the national level, inspiring a new generation of thinkers, doers, and leaders to carry India forward.
By investing in creativity and innovation at all levels, we can unlock India’s full potential and build a future that is inventive, inclusive, and globally impactful.
Grand Launch of MMA’s 11th Chapter in Vellore
I am delighted to share this exciting news: MMA, in its continuous endeavour to promote the management movement across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, is establishing its 11th Chapter in Vellore. This new chapter is poised to significantly benefit a wide cross-section of entrepreneurs, management professionals, and the academic community in and around the vibrant city of Vellore.
MMA currently boasts a strong presence in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities through its active chapters in Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Attur, Chengalpattu, Hosur, Puducherry, Ambur, Sri City, and Trichy. With the launch of the Vellore Chapter, MMA continues its mission of bringing management excellence closer to emerging business hubs.
We are privileged that Mr. C.K. Ranganathan, Chairman & Managing Director of CavinKare, Past President, MMA, has kindly accepted our invitation to inaugurate the MMA Vellore Chapter on Monday, 12th May 2025 at Vellore
You are cordially invited to join us on this momentous occasion!
Do not miss the opportunity to watch the thought-provoking Inaugural Address—‘Masterclass on Entrepreneurship’—by Mr. C.K. Ranganathan at 4:00 pm.
Click here to watch it live!
As always, we welcome your views, comments, and suggestions. Your feedback enriches our journey.
Happy Reading!
